Finally, a chance for some birding.

Sunday 12th January 2025.

A rather scenic look over the Cemetery.

I finally got to walk the dogs this morning around Highland Road Cemetery and although I am still not feeling 100%, I made the effort to make the most of a cold but dry walk around my ‘local patch’. It was around 6 degrees centigrade this morning and overcast too, but pleasant enough to take a nice slow stroll in search of the wildlife on offer here. I have to admit, I was envious of all those friends of mine birding yesterday as I rested all day instead; but it seemed I didn’t miss too much yesterday and even the Lesser Scaup had looked to have departed too.

Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea:

One of the star birds of the Cemy, the Green Woodpecker, which showed well several times today. I am pretty sure that this is a female bird.

Yes, it was really fresh this morning while walking around the Cemy, but there was no frost and the light wasn't too bad once I got down to the southern end of the Cemetery. A very impressive 21 species were recorded here this morning where the trip here kicked off superbly with a female Sparrowhawk flying in from over the rooftops and then seen flying through the nearby Holm Oaks, which in turn, got the birds giving off their alarm calls. I could hear Long-tailed Tits calling deep within the trees, but though I heard the birds several times over in the north of the Cemy, I didn’t actually see them this time.

Above and below, a few Starlings were seen over in the southern end.

The Green Woodpecker showed well several times though I did struggle in getting any decent photos of the bird. I believe there were probably two birds involved this morning. Though not seen, when I was down the southern end of the Cemetery, I could hear a flock of Brent Geese flying somewhere close to the beach, but the houses were in the way to grab a sighting.

Above, I normally get better photos of the Jays here, but they were quite elusive today. Below, Blackbirds were abundant throughout the area.

I noticed a good number of Blackbirds here this morning with an estimated 12 birds counted but there were no other thrush species found today. A male Goldcrest was seen singing in one of the Holm Oaks on the east side of the Cemy, though trying to grab a photo of the bird was near impossible as they hardly stayed still among the leaves.

Above, the Mausoleum stood out when the low sun reflected on the building. Below, a female Blackbird hopped around close to where I stood when I passed the same building.

Yesterday, I watched the Urban Birder David Lindo on the excellent Love Your Weekend programme and as he explained, though it is great to see something special when you are out and about birding, the best part of all is simply just being there and taking it all in. My sentiments entirely.

The Green Woodpecker among the tangle of branches.

The birds seen or heard this morning included the following:

• Sparrowhawk: female
• Jay
• Carrion Crow
• Magpie
• Herring Gull
• Brent Geese (heard only)
• Wood Pigeon
• Feral Pigeon
• Collared Dove
• Green Woodpecker
• Long-tailed Tit
• Blue Tit
• Goldcrest: singing male
• Blackbird
• Wren
• Starling
• House Sparrow
• Robin
• Greenfinch
• Goldfinch
• Pied Wagtail

Though there was no sighting yesterday of the drake Lesser Scaup, much to the annoyance of many a ‘Lazee Birder’, a first winter Little Gull was a good record on the sea off Chilling Cliffs. The Lesser Yellowlegs entertained the birders on Keyhaven Marshes still, while from the Weston Shore, Southampton; the trio of Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe and Great Northern Diver would have sat nicely on someones year list. However, news just in this morning, a drake Ferruginous Duck has been found with Tufted Ducks on Normandy Lagoon, near Pennington Marshes. There has most certainly been some quality wildfowl to start the new year off!

Two quality photos by Emma Parkes taken yesterday at Acres Down, in the New Forest. Above, Marsh Tit and below, a female Firecrest.

Birding pal, Geoff Farwell, took himself up to Abbotstone, near Alresford, yesterday and notched up the following sightings: Green Sandpiper, 10 Lapwings, Egyptian Goose, Raven, Sparrowhawk, 3 Red Kite, 6 Common Buzzard, Kingfisher, 3 Stonechat, 30 Skylark, 38 Fieldfare, Chiffchaff and Reed Bunting.